6 Essential Back to Campus Tools You Do NOT Want to Miss

We get it. Your schedule is waaaay too busy and there's too much that gets in the way of what you really want to be doing. So, let's keep this simple. Here are (6) Essential Back-to-Campus Tools worth sharing that have equipped, expanded our vision, refined our purpose and increased our productivity–for the work that matters most!

Khan Academy is a personalized learning resource for all ages. They've partnered with institutions like NASA, The Museum of Modern Art, The California Academy of Sciences, and MIT to offer specialized content. They tackle subjects like math, science, computer programming, history, art history, economics, test prep and more–from kindergarten to calculus to the LSAT. We first heard about them years ago in this article in Fortune. Think of it as deep content that keeps it extremely simple. Oh yeah, they have an app and it's 100% free.

He's a computer science professor who writes about how to perform productive, valuable, and meaningful work in an increasingly distracted digital age. If you're new to Study Hacks, a good place to start is the blog archive or his new book on the power of deep work.

Not just another podcast, TED Talks are all about “Ideas Worth Spreading.” TED is a nonprofit devoted to spreading ideas, usually in the form of short, powerful talks (18 minutes or less). They began in 1984 as a conference where Technology, Entertainment and Design converged, and today covers almost all topics — from science to business to global issues — in more than 100 languages. We always have a bunch downloaded on our devices for inspiration, motivation and to “sharpen our saws.” They're short, engaging and perfect for commutes, walks to class, waiting in lines or when you just want to veg and can't find anything you want to watch or listen to. Actually, it was Elora Hardy's TED Talk that first inspired us to use bamboo when we created X-Stand™. True story.

Like you, I had seen OneNote on my PC's / Macbooks for years…it's probably one of the most under-appreciated, under-utilized tools in the. So why's it so cool? Because you can type or write notes, drop in video, attachments, links, images, spreadsheets, etc. and it's all linked seamlessly–from your laptop to your tablet to your phone. Simple and convenient access to all your notes, content and data–wherever you are. The app is free and it's super easy to use.

After all these years, these beautiful and simple notebooks still make us want to write. And if that's not reason enough, a recent study performed by UCLA and Princeton professor's showed that students who wrote their notes on paper learned more than those who typed their notes! Whether you use yours for journaling, note-taking or work, they will help you get your life in order. Plus, they sometimes make us feel like we're on Shark Tank, which is kind of cool:)

This is our baby…our first toe-dip into entrepreneurial waters. What is it? X-Stand™ is a simple, sustainable, portable standing desk converter for laptops and tablets that transforms nearly any work surface into a standing desk. Check us out on social media @getxstand to see more of our story, but the gist is that with X-Stand™, you get a standing desk that doesn't cost a fortune, look goofy or leave you stuck in one place. We intentionally and proudly make it in the U.S.A. using premium, sustainably-sourced materials. From your apartment, dorm room, kitchen, office or ANYWHERE , it's the standing desk that works where you do! BTW, it's only $89 and ships FREE and you receive a copy of Cal Newport's, “How to Become a Straight A Student: Unconventional Strategies Real College Students Use to Score High While Studying Less”. Just use promo code CAMPUS17 but only for a limited time. Get yours @ getxstand.com and help us get the word out!

That's the list of our (6) essential must-have tools for back to campus. But we know there are lots of other great tools and resources. Please let us know what you've found to be the most valuable to you!